Mitigating Extreme Heat - Tips
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Duke Health experts are offering tips to beat the heat and raise awareness about the seriousness of heat-related illness. See the full briefing with Ashley Ward, director, Duke’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub, Dr. J.J. Hoff, emergency medicine specialist and Jordan Clark, heat researcher at the link below.
* Stay hydrated. The body’s response to heat is to sweat, which means you are losing fluid. Avoid sugary drinks, like Gatorade, and opt for water instead.
* Use a fan to blow moisture off your skin.
* A 10-minute cool shower can lower your internal body temperature.
* Older people and those with physical impairments can put their feet in cool water covering the ankles to lower their core body temperature.
* An infant’s body is not as good at thermal regulation as the adult body so they are more at risk of developing heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Never leave small children in the car, even with the windows cracked.
* Do not put a towel over a baby’s stroller to block the sun, because it creates a hot-house effect.
* In warm temperatures, be cautious of wearing your baby in a sling because the baby is receiving heat from the parent’s body in addition to the extra layer of fabric in the sling.
* Check on your pets because they can also suffered from heat-related illnesses.
See the full interview here.